Karl’s Salt and Pepper Mushrooms

My family loves salt and pepper chicken wings. I wondered if I could make a vegetarian version with meaty tasting mushrooms. Daughter Miriam would love it— daughter Eilene won’t touch it.

Karl’s Salt and Pepper Mushrooms

After Dinner Note: I used a teaspoon of salt in this recipe. It turned out to be too much—while edible, it was overly salty.

Karl’s Salt and Pepper Mushrooms

Ingredients

6 oz. oyster mushrooms
6 oz. shiitake mushrooms

2 Tbs. peanut oil or neutral flavored oil

1 Jalapeño, seeded and diced finely

5 green onions tops only, finely chopped
1 Tbs. Shaoxing rice wine

1 Tbs. light soy sauce
2 tsp. Sichuan pepper, ground
¼ tsp. kosher salt

2 Tbs. cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Trim and tear the larger oyster mushrooms into bite sized pieces.

Tip: The oyster mushrooms have a dried out nub at the base, which I usually trim off.

2. Stem and cut the shiitake mushrooms in half.

Tip: The stems of these mushrooms are too tough to chew, but you may save them to add umami to a soup stock.

3. Heat the oil in a sauté pan and add the mushrooms.

Tip: Let the mushrooms sit undisturbed for 1-2 minutes to get a good sear on one side. Gently toss them to flip the mushrooms over and sear a second side.

Note: If you start bashing the mushrooms around as soon as you put them in the pan, you will knock the juices right out of them and into the pan. As a result, you will get steamed mushrooms, instead of dry-fried mushrooms.

4. Stir fry the mushrooms for 4-5 minutes.

5. Add the Jalapeño and continue stir frying for another two minutes.

6. Add the green onions and fry for one more minute.

7. Add the shaoxing and soy sauce and toss to coat the mushrooms.

8. Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle the salt and pepper over the mushrooms.

Tip: Sichuan pepper has a very volatile oil, that is its distinctive flavor. You usually want to add this pepper at the last possible moment, so that the heat will not evaporate this fragrant oil.

9. Toss to distribute the seasoning and transfer the mushrooms to a serving plate.

10. Garnish with the cilantro and serve warm.